[A/N: Thanks to everyone who continues to read this novel and to those who join in every day.
Important chapter, preparations, visit to the other base.
Comment if you have any questions, I'll get back to you as soon as possible.]
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In the truck.
After finishing my online review of available homes, I began preparing for another day of work, which was tinged with anxiety and a desire to complete all the preparations as quickly as possible.
I checked my schedule and noticed that one of the day's destinations was downtown, news that had its pros and cons. The positive side was that I was close to major banks and could meet with some executives to discuss loans and mortgages. However, the negative side was the time drivers lost due to the dense and chaotic traffic downtown.
"It seems like good people never get a break", I commented, letting out a frustrated sigh.
I loaded the truck as usual. On the way to my first drop-off point, I decided to stop by my house to pick up some paperwork related to my parents' property and the vehicles in my name. Then, I left as quickly as I could to deliver that first order and have some free time to go to the bank.
Later, after delivering the first load and loading the order I needed to take to the center, I stopped at the bank I work with, intending to withdraw the cash available in my accounts and arrange some loans.
However, upon arriving at the bank, I found some bad news: they only allowed me to withdraw a minimum amount today. I still completed the necessary paperwork to be able to withdraw the full amount next Monday.
On the other hand, applying for loans proved to be a slightly more complicated process. I had to submit the corresponding documentation, which I already had ready, for the bank to evaluate. Finally, I had to wait for an executive's approval with defined market value. However, some lenders offer an emergency loan option that expedites the appraisal of properties and assets, although this entails paying a fee to the executive and obtaining a loan of 90% of the original value, only to later face the loan associated with that value.
"Police! They're robbing me!", I thought, frustrated, as I left the bank. I had left the documents with the executive who was making an extraordinary trip to the town where my parents live. Luckily, they were visiting relatives, so they wouldn't find out about the executive's visit. I just needed to notify some neighbors who are family friends so they could guide the executive to the property and show him the vehicles.
Still feeling angry, I drove to the drop-off point, and to my surprise, I made it on time; it seemed karma was balancing out my bad luck at the bank.
Since I had some time, I decided to look for information about containers and vehicle rentals. As for warehouses, I plan to manage that search through my company, as they have specific contacts who can help me find what I need.
After spending about half an hour searching, I managed to find a wide variety of vehicles. First, I researched heavy-duty vehicles, and among the various types I discovered, the specialized trucks particularly caught my attention. Refrigerated trucks and tankers stood out in search. However, acquiring them presents several complicated requirements, especially in the case of tankers, due to the strict legal regulations on these types of vehicles. Therefore, I will be sure to gather contact information and locations so I can try to obtain the ones I need or, once everything starts, know where to find them if necessary.
On the other hand, I focused on very durable vehicles that were as affordable as possible. Pickup trucks caught my interest, and among the models I found were the Hilux, the Tundra, and the Silverado, among others. These were all very durable and only required a few modifications to make them practically impenetrable. I also researched 4x4 vehicles, such as the K2, the Wrangler Hybrid, and the Bronco. These models required fewer modifications and were more versatile on rough roads, although they sacrificed some hauling capacity. Both options seemed very attractive, allowing me to choose several combinations based on price.
The search for containers was a bit more complicated. While leasing options existed, they were quite expensive and transporting them to a specific location was even more expensive than the rental itself. So, the only viable option was to lease some at the location—in this case, an industrial park—and transport supplies internally. However, security modifications would need to be made discreetly, or they could be done once the chaos began.
After organizing all the information, I sorted it into different folders, according to the corresponding preparation step number. This task took quite a while, so I had to rush to meet the last deadline of the day. "I just hope everything goes well with the money on Monday", I thought as I reflected on the expenses I would have just on rent.
A couple of hours later, at home, I exclaimed, "Phew... This day seemed to drag on forever", as I collapsed, exhausted, on the couch.
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[A/N: There are some sofas that are so soft and squishy that you feel like you're sinking into them. Have you had any of these? I haven't.]
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I spent much of the day organizing all the information I had gathered for step 2. I also contacted a few foremen and auto repair shops for guidance and preliminary quotes for the modifications I had in mind. The great satisfaction of having consulted them was that I received my first good news of the day.
Safety modifications can be made within the timeframe I request. If I need them done quickly, all I must do is pay a little more, plus they'll buy the necessary materials. And most importantly, they don't ask any questions. Through them, I was even able to contact a group of builders who worked near my parents' town, so I just must call them, agree on the specifications, and determine the timeframe I need it completed.
With the auto repair shops, things went just as well. The people I contacted could make a lot of structural modifications to vehicles, but engine modifications take too long and would be discarded. They could also install heavy-duty tires, bulletproof glass, and minor engine modifications to improve performance.
After giving a final review of the information I'd gathered so far, I went straight to the shower where I spent half an hour underwater. Tiredness was sending tingles all over my body, and the cold water not only soothed me physically, but felt the water running, listening to it, relaxed me more than I'd imagined.
Then I ordered something greasy for takeout, browsing through the places until I found the biggest burger available on the different apps. It's not something I usually do, but the truth is, my body was asking me to be as lazy as possible and eat only fast food, and I wasn't going to deny my body that small benefit.
I waited half an hour, and to my surprise, the delivery guy arrived sooner than I expected. I sat down in the dining room with my burger, took a drink out of the refrigerator to wash it down, put on a podcast about world politics, and started eating. I spent every second savoring every bite, wishing that a moment as simple as this could take me away from my troubles. I enjoyed taking big bites, letting the sauces run after I chewed, and quenching my thirst with a big gulp of drink.
"If everything ends the way my dreams are telling me, these will be the last times I get to enjoy this kind of food", I said in a melancholic voice.
After I finished eating everything, I cleaned up and washed before going to sleep. I lay in bed staring at the ceiling. I had gotten used to this routine: staring at the ceiling and getting lost in my thoughts.
"I forgot to tell Rick!", I said, alarmed, as I sat up abruptly. I got up without hesitation, left the house, and ran to the truck with my cell phone. When I got there, I realized I hadn't brought my keys, so I went back to the house to get them. When I finally managed to unlock the truck, I took a picture of the odometer and sent it to Rick along with a profuse apology. He replied that he hoped I wouldn't keep my promise, which caused me a certain amount of embarrassment, which I immediately forced myself to forget once I went back to bed. I didn't want to spend time trying to calm my mood; I just wanted to sleep and take advantage of as much information as I could glean from my dreams.
In the morning.
"I'm getting used to seeing this ceiling", I thought as I looked at the familiar room that appeared in all my dreams. It was early in the morning, just like the previous time.
I quickly got up and made an express breakfast. After grabbing my still-stained suit from the bike shop, I left the house on my bike. I had prepared the same number of supplies as I had brought to the garden the previous time, but this time I had a few boxes of ammunition of different calibers.
I left the village heading toward the road I'd driven on before. The landscape was still the same: a road full of cars, completely desolate, with a few zombies wandering among the cars.
Unlike the previous time, this time I drove south. I stayed on the road for about an hour, dodging abandoned cars and trucks.
"It's literally in the opposite direction to the garden", I thought as I took a detour to the east.
After traveling a few blocks, I passed through an area that made my skin crawl. A large crowd of zombies could be seen on a distant street. They seemed to be surrounding a shopping mall. A large number of zombies were visible on the first levels, and even more zombies were lingering in the surrounding areas.
"If there are people there, they're doomed", I thought, a little terrified by the fate of the people in that mall.
After observing the surroundings and not noticing any obvious dangers, I continued my way toward David's base. I saw many buildings, supermarkets, and houses that had been looted; some had zombies roaming around them, while others only showed signs of abandonment.
After about 15 minutes of walking very carefully, I arrived at an industrial zone. It consisted of several factories, warehouses, and stores, among other facilities, but the most unusual thing was that there was a population within this industrial park. This area consisted of many houses for middle-income people, and there were even small parks within the area.
However, this area was now surrounded by abandoned cars used as a barrier. It was truly surprising how these defenses were organized. To put it simply, it was a semi-rectangular area, where each corner was firmly controlled and well-secured, leaving a clear space between each corner, but still had barriers made of cars to allow entry.
In addition, the points where the factories connected to the houses on the secured corners were used as an artificial barrier.
"A place like that seems pretty safe", I thought in amazement as I looked at what was in front of me.
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[A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETED
Okay, okay.
I have a picture in Paint of what the shape of the base looks like from above. I'm an expert at those drawings. I'm lying, I'm terrible at it.
I just noticed that the new novel I'm publishing wasn't showing up on my profile, and I don't know why.
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Here's a brief synopsis.
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A young man is reincarnated in an indigenous village in South America just a few years before the first envoys from "Castilla" arrive. He must then try to make his people undergo various technological advances in order to try to save them.
Will he be able to control his people and form a kingdom that can compete with the Europeans?
Will he fight with the local empires?
Will he unify all of America?
Or will a jaguar eat him on a Sunday afternoon?
The story unfolds much, much faster than this novel.
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Read my other novel called Vinland Kingdom: Race Against Time.
You can find it directly with the name.
Discord username: WorldReaders]